IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0114 MS0071
Held at: Royal College of Surgeons of England
Title: Pott, Percivall (1714-1788)
Date(s): 1766-1782
Level of description: Collection (fonds)
Extent: 3 boxes
Name of creator(s): Pott | Percivall | 1714-1788 | surgeon
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Percivall Pott was born in London, in 1714. He was educated at a private school in Darenth, Kent. He became apprenticed to Edward Nourse in 1729, preparing dissections for demonstration at Nourse's anatomy and surgery lectures. Pott built a good professional reputation, and received the freedom of the Barber-Surgeons' Company in 1736, and also passed the grand diploma examination, without actually being in attendance. Pott was appointed assistant surgeon to St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1745, and became full surgeon in 1749. He challenged some long established treatments, for example the use of hot iron cauteries. Pott and William Hunter were elected the first lecturers in anatomy to the new Surgeon's company, in 1753. Pott became a member of the court of examiners in 1763, and master of the company in 1765. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1764. He had a large practice, with patients including David Garrick, Samuel Johnson, and Thomas Gainsborough. He was made honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1786, and an honorary member of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1787. He resigned from St Bartholomew's Hospital aged 73, was made a hospital governor and continued in private practice until his death in 1788.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Papers of Percivall Pott, 1766-1782, comprising a manuscript volume titled Mr Potts Surgical Lectures Oct 2nd 1767, containing notes of lectures, 1767; a manuscript volume titled Chirurgical Lectures by Percivall Pott FRS and Senior Surgeon of Saint Bartholomew's Hospital, London, containing notes of lectures; a manuscript volume titled Lectures on the Practice of Surgery by Percival Pott Esq FRS and Surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital containing notes of lectures; an autographed manuscript volume titled Practical Remarks on the Hydrocele, or Watry Rupture and Some other Diseases of the Testicle, its Coats and Vessels: illustrated with Cases (1766. Second Edition), 1766; a manuscript volume titled Histor: Compend: Anatomie. 1769. containing notes of lectures on anatomy, possibly by Percivall Pott, 1769; a manuscript volume titled A course of Lectures read in the Surgeon's Theatre by Percival Pott, FRS, Senior Surgeon to St Bartholomew's Hospital, containing notes of lectures; and an autograph letter from Percivall Pott of Hanover Square to an unknown recipient, 24 Jun 1782. Relating to an accompanying pamphlet.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
As outlined in Scope and Content.
Conditions governing access:
By written appointment only.
Conditions governing reproduction:
No photocopying permitted.
Finding aids:
Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1928) by Victor G Plarr.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
The provenance of Mr Potts Surgical Lectures. Oct 2nd 1767 and Chirurgical Lectures by Percivall Pott FRS and Senior Surgeon of Saint Bartholomew's Hospital, London, is unknown.
Lectures on the Practice of Surgery by Percival Pott Esq FRS and Surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital was deposited in the Library by Mr W B Winckworth, in 1920.
Practical Remarks on the Hydrocele, or Watry Rupture and Some other Diseases of the Testicle, its Coats and Vessels: illustrated with Cases (1766. Second Edition), was presented to the Library by Harold Davidson, MRCS, in 1902.
Histor: Compend: Anatomie. 1769. was purchased from John Salkeld in 1940. Correspondence between Mr Le Fanu, Librarian, and John Salkeld is attached at the back of the volume.
A course of Lectures read in the Surgeon's Theatre by Percival Pott, FRS, Senior Surgeon to St Bartholomew's Hospital, was purchased from John Salkeld in 1939.
Autograph letter from Percivall Pott of Hanover Square to an unknown recipient, 24 Jun 1782, was presented to the College by James Carter, FRCS (1814-1895).
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material:
Manuscript lecture notes by John Heaviside on William Hunter and Percivall Pott, 1769-1781. Reference: 275.c.1.
Pedigrees of Pott family, and biographical information by W H Challen. Accession Number: Add Mss 148.
Autograph letter. Ref. 129.d.8 (194).
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Compiled by Anya Turner.
Date(s) of descriptions: Aug 2008